TURKEY has increased tensions with Europe after the country’s foreign minister said the continent is heading towards a holy war.

Mevlut Cavusoglu, 49, who has been part of Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s administration since December 2013, also stoked the tense relations with the Netherlands following their general election which took place yesterday.

Mr Cavusoglu fanned an already volatile situation when he said all the Dutch parties running for election shared the same anti-Islamic views held by Geert Wilders, who is head of the PVV, and so it did not matter who won.

The Netherlands' incumbent prime minister Mark Rutte successfully fended off the challenge of Mr Wilders who had stood on an anti-EU, anti-Muslim ticket.

AFP/Getty

Turkey has said Europe is headed for a Holy War

Throughout the campaign Mr Rutte had steadfastly refused to work with Mr Wilders due to his views.

Speaking at a rally in the southern city of Antalya, Mr Cavusoglu said: “Many parties have received a similar share of votes. 17 per cent, 20 per cent, there are lots of parties like this, but they are all the same.

“Now the election is over in the Netherlands… when you look at the many parties you see there is no difference between the mindsets of Geert Wilders and social democrats in the Netherlands. They all have the same mindset... That mindset is taking Europe to the cliff. You have begun to collapse Europe. You are dragging Europe into the abyss. Holy wars will soon begin in Europe.”

The top moments from the Dutch Elections

Thu, March 16, 2017

Geert Wilders is battling the current Prime Minister Mark Rutte in the Dutch Elections 2017

The incendiary comments - translated by the Turkish newspaper Harriet - will undoubtedly not go down well with both the Netherlands and the EU, who have thrown their support behind the Dutch as tensions have risen.

The Netherlands has been embroiled in a row with Ankara after the Dutch barred Turkish ministers from speaking to rallies of overseas Turks.

On Monday, Turkey suspended high-level relations with the Netherlands after it cited public safety in banning ministers from addressing expatriate Turks in a campaign for a referendum that would give Mr Erdogan sweeping new powers.

Now the election is over in the Netherlands… when you look at the many parties you see there is no difference between the mindsets of Geert Wilders and social democrats in the Netherlands. They all have the same mindset... That mindset is taking Europe

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu

Mr Erdogan, who is counting on the backing of overseas Turks in the April 16 vote, accused the Dutch government of acting like "Nazi remnants".

Donald Tusk, the President of the European Council, wrote on Twitter: “Rotterdam destroyed by Nazis. Today with Moroccan-born mayor. Anyone seeing fascism there is detached from reality. We are Europeans & proud.”

Related articles

President of the European Parliament Jean-Claude Juncker said: “My home country, Luxembourg, was occupied by the Nazis. Our people were suffering.

“My father was forced into the German army together with his three brothers.

Getty

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has taken a hostile stance against the Netherlands

“If you are establishing a comparison of that period with our times, this is totally unacceptable – and the one who is doing this is taking distance from Europe and not trying to enter the European Union.

The dispute has sparked protests in Turkey and across Europe, while Turkish-backed rebels in Syria put out a video accusing the Dutch government of being swayed by the ideology of Mr Wilders’ “xenophobic and racist” party.

Getty

European Parliament President Jean-Claude Juncker has backed the Netherlands in the row